阅读理解
Pele was born to a very poor family on October 23, 1940. His real name is Edison Arantes do Nascimento. Pele is just a nickname.
Pele first learned the game soccer from his father. As a youngster Pele played soccer for a local club. By the time he was 16, he was playing professionally for the Santos Football Club. The club won nine national championships while he played for it.
Pele also played for Brazil's national team in four World Cups. At his first World Cup in 1958, when he was just 17, Pele scored an amazing six goals. In the final game against Sweden, he scored two goals and Brazil won its first-ever World Cup. Pele also helped Brazil win World Cups in 1962 and 1970.
Pele had an outstanding(突出) natural ability as a soccer player. He had great speed and balance and was able to shoot powerfully and accurately with either foot and with his head. Many European teams offered huge amounts of money to get Pele to play for their countries but Brazil declared him an official national treasure so he would stay in the country.
In 1974, Pele retired from the Santos Club, but the next year, he came out of retirement and signed a reported $ 7-million 3-year contact(合同) to play for the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League. Pele said he did not this for the money. He said that he wanted to make soccer a truly popular sport in the United States. Millions of North Americans gained a new respect for the game after watching Pele play.
